Malibu’s homeless population has decreased from 180 in 2017 to 155 in 2018, according to the results released by Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) of the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count recently conducted across the County and in Malibu. This result is also lower than the 2016 Count which showed Malibu had 161 homeless.
“Everyone in Malibu should be encouraged by the positive results of the efforts to address this humanitarian crisis,” Mayor Rick Mullen said. “I am grateful to all of the volunteers and organizations that worked through the night to gather this information that we need to effectively address homelessness in Malibu.”
On January 25, Malibu joined the efforts across the county, the state and the U.S. to count the number of homeless people in the community. The count in Malibu was coordinated by members of CART (Community Assistance Resource Team) and the Malibu Task Force on Homelessness (MTFH). Thirty-nine volunteers from local residents, businesses, community-based organization and government agencies canvassed the area.
Overall, LAHSA reported positive news in 2018: a 3% overall decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness in the County, record numbers placed into housing, a 16% drop in chronic homelessness and an 18% decrease in the number of homeless veterans, signs that the local and county strategies are working.
Service Planning Area 5, which includes Malibu, Santa Monica and West Los Angeles, counted a total of 4,485 people (down from 5,411 in 2017), of which 921 were sheltered (down from 1,180 in 2017) and 3,564 unsheltered (down from 4,231 in 2017). The count found 53,195 homeless people in L.A. County in 2018 (down from 55,048 in 2017), of which 13,369 were sheltered (down from 14,966 in 2017), and 39,826 were unsheltered (down from 40,082 in 2017).
To see detailed results for SPA 5 and the county, visit LAHSA’s website at https://www.lahsa.org/dashboards?id=9-2017-greater-los-angeles-homeless-count-by-service-planning-area-spa. For an analysis of the countywide results, visit https://www.lahsa.org/documents?id=2059-2018-greater-los-angeles-homeless-count-presentation.pdf.
The decrease in homelessness reflects the positive results of the work by the Malibu Homeless Outreach Team since being enlisted and funded in September 2016 by the Malibu Task Force on Homelessness (MTFH) with contributions from the City of Malibu. The Outreach Team reported that they have placed 29 people in permanent housing and helped get a total of 49 people off the streets of Malibu between September 30, 2016 and March 31, 2018.
The Homeless Outreach Team consists of two dedicated professional outreach workers from The People Concern who work daily to address the many, complex needs of homeless individuals in Malibu. The People Concern (formerly OPCC) is one of the largest and most highly regarded non-profit organizations that provides comprehensive, coordinated services to homeless individuals in nearby communities including Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades, as well as in many other areas of Los Angeles County. MTFH was formed in February 2016 as an independent, unincorporated group of Malibu residents who are focused on engaging and supporting local homeless individuals.
MTFH posts a monthly report of Malibu Homeless Outreach Team’s work on their website at http://malibutaskforce.org/malibu-outreach/reports.
To learn more about Malibu’s efforts to address homelessness, including the City’s Homeless Strategic Plan, visit www.MalibuCity.org/Homelessness.
Submitted by Matt Myerhoff, Malibu Media Information Officer
